Page 74 of Worst Nanny Ever
“Sure. But the ones you’re talking about aren’t the original version. There was this great cartoon from the eighties, and a live action movie they made in 1990. I watched them when I was a kid. Your dad probably did too.”
“That’s really old, Hannah,” he says in a serious tone. “I don’t think it will hold up.”
Look at that, he’s using an expression he picked up from meagainstme.
“You’ll see, mister. You’re going to like those turtles, and next week Mickey’s going to think you’re the coolest dude in the school.”
“What if I hate them?”
“Then I’m going to suggest that you avoid future interactions with Mickey.”
Ten minutes later,we’re standing outside of my brother’s apartment. I have his spare key, but I knock on the door. He opens it and engulfs me in a famous Liam bear hug. As his arms wrap around me, I take in his familiar scent of lemon and hops, and a feeling of profound relief envelops me.
God, I really missed him.
Distancing myself from him is one of the hardest things I’veever done, but it felt necessary, like we both needed to learn how to function on our own. To figure out how to craft strong relationships with people who aren’t blood related and bonded by trauma.
He squeezes me before releasing me and crouching down to offer one of his huge hands to Ollie. I almost laugh at the sight of them: small, dark-haired Ollie next to my huge beast of a brother with his reddish-brown hair, too long right now because I’m probably the only one who cuts it for him, and trimmed beard. At least he’s been taking care of his facial hair. But I also feel close to tears, because I love them both so much, and they’re meeting for the first time. It feels like a big moment.
“I’m Liam,” my brother says. “I’m told you’re Ollie.”
Ollie nods as he shakes Liam’s hand, peering up at him with wide eyes. “You’reverybig. Much bigger than Hannah.”
“Eat your vegetables. You’ll get big too. Unlike Hannah, who never met a green bean she liked.”
I push his massive arm and get nowhere.
“I don’t know if I want to be that big,” Ollie ruminates. “Can you touch the ceiling? My dad’s tall, but he’s not as tall as you, and he can’t touch it. I know because he tried to get a bug off the fan and he couldn’t do it.”
“Depends on how low it is,” Liam says with a laugh. Then he gets up on his tiptoes and touches the ceiling of his apartment, instantly earning him points in Ollie’s scorebook.
“Are we done with the masculine posturing?” I groan. “Because we need a specialist in gum removal and the best ever version ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesto help Ollie bond with his nemesis.”
My brother grins at Ollie. “Does she always threaten you with a good time?”
“I don’t know what that means,” Ollie says, “but Hannahdoeslike to have fun. She gets bored a lot, though. Sometimes we do, like, five activities in an afternoon.”
Liam laughs and gently pats him on the back. “She does, but guess what? She’s never bored with you. She told me so.”
I smile at him and mouth,Thank you.
“Here, let me get theTurtleson for you,” he says, and within five minutes, Ollie has a pretty sick little setup in front of the living room TV with toons on, a glass of Gatorade, and a bowl of Goldfish crackers that’s not long for this world.
Once the little guy is situated, I catch Liam’s eye. “Can I talk to you privately for a minute?”
He gives me a wary look, probably because I yelled at him the last time we talked “privately for a minute.”
I drag him into the bedroom and shut the door.
“Should I have given him a juice box instead?” he asks, lifting his brows.
“Ha ha. No, I just wanted to tell you that I’m ready to get over this rift between us. I’d like to put it behind us.”
“Good,” he says, a person of few words as always, which usually leads to me having to translate him to the world.
“But—”
“I knew there would be a but.”
